


60 Days to Fall in Love

by galaxystiel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fic Facer$ Charity Auction 2019 (Supernatural), M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-25 12:09:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21356029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxystiel/pseuds/galaxystiel
Summary: Are you a college student in your sophomore year or above? In a stable, monogamous relationship for the last six months? Need to earn a little extra cash? Sign up today to participate in a casual eight week study and receive a cash stipend!Dean and Castiel, college roommates that are struggling to make ends meet, stumble upon a paid psychology study that would solve all of their financial problems. The only thing is, they're not a couple. But they can pretend for eight weeks, right? That shouldn't be too hard, should it?
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 3
Kudos: 47
Collections: Fic Facer$ 2019





	60 Days to Fall in Love

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by [Courtney](http://fangirlingtodeath513.tumblr.com), my winning bidder on Fic Facer$ 2019!
> 
> This fic is on temporary hiatus until I finished ARTEMIS: Leviathan. I just wanted to ensure I could successfully meet my Fic Facer$ requirement and have something posted in a reasonable amount of time.

** MONDAY  
** 59 DAYS REMAINING

The scraping sound of a key in the lock drew Castiel’s attention away from the textbooks in front of him. He frowned at first, irritated by the disturbance, but then he registered exactly what the sound was and the frown was replaced by a soft smile. His roommate was home.

This was only their second week of living together, after being paired up in freshman year and sharing a dorm, they’d struck up a firm friendship. Castiel would say that unequivocally, Dean was his best friend and the most important person in his life. Therefore, it had only been a logical step that they would move in together now they were seeking external living arrangements, far away from the distractions of the student dorms. No parties, no screaming in the halls, no RA checking up on them constantly. Just Castiel and Dean. Alone. Together.

Castiel could admit that he liked that far more than he should, on a purely platonic level, of course.

Dean entered the room, eyes immediately scanning. Castiel noticed the way his eyes crinkled and the corner of his lips tugged up as their gaze met, before Dean broke eye contact to hang up his jacket.

“How was the first day of class?”

“Not bad,” Dean replied, stretching out a kink in his back. “You?”

Castiel thought for a moment. “Wordy,” he decided eventually. “Did you have any luck today?”

His words were vague, but he knew Dean would understand. Moving in together had been impulsive and expensive. While their tiny student apartment was now perfect, it had taken a lot of time and money to get it that way. Both Castiel and Dean had been forced to take on extra hours, but they were still going to find this month and the next difficult. It would be a struggle to make ends meet, but if they could weather through it, they would be fine from there on out.

They had both enquired about changing their schedules, limiting their number of credits in order to pick up extra hours at work. Castiel worked at a used bookstore and wasn’t too offended by the extra shifts. Dean, who worked seasonally at a fast food outlet just off campus, wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of flipping burgers two extra days a week, but he’d understood their financial situation necessitated the temporary sacrifice.

Dean brightened considerably. “Actually, yeah, I had a stroke of luck. I was on my way to administration and there was a guy handing out flyers. I wasn’t going to stop but then I heard someone mention that the money they were offering was amazing, so you know.”

“You stopped,” Castiel finished for him. His interest was piqued, and he shifted along their threadbare, second-hand couch, patting the cushion next to him. “What were these flyers?”

Dean dropped onto the offered seat, his arm stretching casually over the back, behind Castiel, whose cheeks pinkened. He suddenly found the flyer a lot more interesting without actually reading it.

“So, what do you think?” Dean prompted, and Castiel blinked.

“Oh, um…” Castiel trailed off and skimmed his eyes over the glossy page, eventually reading it. He froze, shoulders locking with tension. “I have to be honest, I’m a little confused. I agree the money would be great, but...”

He took a moment to take in all of the details. A psychology postgraduate was writing their doctorate thesis on relationships during college and the effects on their studies.

_Are you a college student in your sophomore year or above? In a stable, monogamous relationship for the last six months? Need to earn a little extra cash? Sign up today to participate in a casual eight week study and receive a cash stipend!_

The student in question was offering a stipend of $50 a week for eight weeks—the money coming from their PhD sponsor—to twenty-five student couples who participated in the study. They would need to keep a daily log and answer some set questions, to be turned in every week. There was also a small disclaimer that none of the questions would be too intrusive.

“Dean, both of us are single. This doesn’t apply to us.”

“It could,” Dean said casually, and Castiel glanced at him, his heart skipping a beat. Was Dean saying what Castiel thought he was saying? He’d never even dreamed…

“I… what?” Castiel replied weakly. He tried to get a grip of himself, inhaling deeply.

Dean shrugged. “I mean, look at the requirements. Both partners must be over 18 and been in a committed relationship for a minimum of six months. Cohabiting preferred.”

“Okay.” Castiel’s hands were trembling with anticipation, so he balled them into fists. “You still haven’t said how this could apply to us.”

“Well, who’s to say we haven’t been dating for the last six months?” Dean pointed out. “We live together, neither of us have dated anyone else in that time. We’re both over eighteen. And all we’d have to do is keep separate diaries that we hand in every week and get $50 for doing it.”

Realisation dawned and dealt a crushing blow, snuffing out the hope that had dared to spark in Castiel’s chest, like dousing a match with a bucket of cold water. “You’re saying we pretend to be together for this study so we can get paid.” It wasn’t a question, and understanding came with no relief. Just devastation.

“What do you think?” Dean asked eagerly, his eyes bright with the possibilities.

“I think it’s highly unethical and will skew the results for the student in question,” Castiel replied, and when he saw Dean’s shoulders slump, he felt guilt adding to the weight in his chest. He truly didn’t think he had the strength to pretend to be in a relationship with Dean. To feign everything he wanted, for Dean to ask him that, was the cruellest thing Castiel could ever imagine.

Dean sighed. “I guess you’re right. It was just a thought. The money would make such a big deal and it means I don’t have to work the graveyard shift when I have class the next day.”

Anguish twisted Castiel’s stomach into knots. He stared down at the flyer, already beginning to relent. He could refuse Dean nothing, even at the expense of his own misery. He could tell Dean hated the idea of taking extra shifts and possibly allowing his classwork to suffer for it.

“The money would be good,” he mumbled. “And it beats you coming home smelling of burger grease. I guess if we actually did the study properly, based it on our friendship, it wouldn’t exactly be skewing the results.” He finished carefully.

“Absolutely,” Dean said, his expression eager. He was almost ready to agree to anything. “We could totally do that. Take it seriously so that we’re not doing too much damage to the results.”

“Then… sure. We can give it a go and see if we get picked.” Castiel gave a tight nod.

Dean’s face lit up like a Christmas tree and he jumped to his feet. “That’s great, Cas! I’ll call the number on the flyer first thing tomorrow and find out about the application process. See, this is why I love you. You’re the best, man.”

“Thanks.” Castiel didn’t know what else to say. He felt emotionally drained and he couldn’t look Dean in the face, sure his heart was laid bare in his eyes, ready for Dean to see what he couldn’t say.

_See, this is why I love you._ Being punched in the gut would have hurt less. He suddenly couldn’t bear to be in the same room as Dean. He found his own feet and began packing up his textbooks, stuffing them haphazardly into his satchel.

“I’m going to head to the library. There’s a couple of case studies I want to dig out for this assigned reading. I was just hanging on until you got home to see if you had any news.” The lie came to his lips far too easily, but in contrast, Castiel’s eyes found it far too difficult to meet Dean’s. He truly feared what expression was on his face, but Dean seemed oblivious to anything amiss.

“Okay. I’ll leave dinner on the stove for you?”

“Sounds great. See you later,” Castiel called back, throwing his jacket and letting the door swing closed behind him. He didn’t stop rushing until he reached the street and then he breathed in a huge sigh. The cool air burned his lungs, but each exhale calmed him. When the pressure in his chest eased, Castiel forced himself to start the trek to the library.

Misery prickled in the back of his throat, threatening to make him tear up. Exactly what had he just gotten himself into?

**Author's Note:**

> [MY TUMBLR](https://galaxystiel.tumblr.com)


End file.
